"It doesn't look like it yet, but there's a lot of work that's been done, and there's a lot of work to do," said Executive Director Steve Catlett.

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Journal photo by Samantha Cronk

The addition of two new pavilions to Ambrose Park is one of the many enhancements planned for the public park in an effort to offer residents better recreational opportunities.

Next Friday, Catlett will receive bid proposals and design concepts for the new playground equipment. Catlett said he anticipates receiving up to six bids from local and regional business.

Each company that submits a proposal must follow several design specifications including materials that are earth-toned with no metal slides, ADA-compliance and design for ages 5 to 12. Due to lack of space, Catlett said the inclusion of swings will be difficult.

Since board members already approved spending up to $100,000 for a new children's playground, a three-person committee will review the received bids before presenting the final option for approval at the next board meeting.

"I would like to get a contract signed in early July. The anticipated goal for that would be they could have the play equipment here by the first of August and installed before Labor Day weekend," Catlett said.

Like at Ambrose Park, construction at the Randy Smith Center in Inwood is progressing, bringing in sight the fall opening of the facility.

At the current rate, Catlett said most of the construction will be complete by mid-July, and anticipates the building will be turned over to Parks and Recreation by mid-August.

"Truly, I think most people are thrilled by the fact that it will be open and it's coming there," Catlett said. "The only real concern down there right now is the changes to the South Berkeley basketball league that we're going to be taking over. We addressed those concerns, at this point everybody understands we're going to enhance the league."

While phase I of the facility is on schedule for its fall completion deadline, Catlett said phases II and III - that will expand the facility to three times its current size - have already been planned for whenever funding becomes available.

Parks and Recreation's current focus for the Randy Smith Center is to begin planning fall programming. Some of the programs under discussion include an aerobics class for adults, silver sneakers, daytime preschool class and pickleball.

"We're under a lot of stress as a board to self-sustain. There's no budget increase for next year, so we have to self-sustain the building the very first year of operation, which is a huge challenge for us," Catlett said.

Although Catlett wants the office at the Randy Smith Center to be open by the start of Berkeley County Schools' school year, the dedication ceremony for the facility is tentatively being planned for a date in mid-September.